Parishes play a prominent part in recent studies on late medieval and early modern culture. Current debates on religious change, political life and cultural identities in local communities demonstrate the wide range of approaches to the subject and the benefits of scholarly exchange.

At Warwick, several members of staff pursue research interests in this field. Between them, Bernard Capp, Steve Hindle, Beat Kümin, Peter Marshall and Penny Roberts have drawn on parish records for their work on many aspects of the late medieval and early modern periods. The combination of general scholarly interest and departmental strength has led to the conception of the ‘Warwick Symposium on Parish Research’ as an annual forum for specialized papers and general discussion on parish-related themes. Contributions reflect a wide range of interdisciplinary approaches to both British and European parishes from c. 1300 to c. 1800.

Delegates at the 2012 Symposium.

We aim to attract a mixture of established scholars, postgraduate students, independent parish researchers and members of the wider public, with new participants always welcome.

The 2012 Symposium ‘Parish Studies Today’ took place from 25-27 May 2012 (Friday evening to Sunday afternoon) at Scarman House on the central campus of the University of Warwick.

The event featured plenary papers by Martin Crampin, Chris Dyer, John Harper and Penny Roberts; some 60 research/project presentations by a wide range of individuals/organizations, several workshops as well as stalls highlighting different parish-related initiatives. Further information appears here.